Hayley

8/20/2026, 2:10:07 AM

All Breeds

Early socialisation

# 🐾 Early Puppy Socialisation: What Does the Evidence Actually Tell Us? Early socialisation is one of the most important foundations we can provide for a puppy, but good socialisation is about much more than simply exposing a puppy to as many people, dogs and situations as possible. 🧠 THE EARLY DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD Research identifies approximately 3 to 12 weeks of age as an especially important period in canine social development. During this time, puppies are developing responses to people, animals, environments, sounds and novel experiences. A peer reviewed review by Howell, King and Bennett found that puppies receiving appropriate early socialisation were less likely to develop fearfulness and certain undesirable behaviours as adults. The authors also emphasised that socialisation should be controlled, positive and appropriate for the individual puppy. Howell, T. J., King, T., & Bennett, P. C. (2015). Puppy parties and beyond: The role of early age socialization practices on adult dog behavior. Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports, 6, 143-153. Read the original peer reviewed article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6067676/ ❤️ QUALITY MATTERS MORE THAN QUANTITY Socialisation should not mean forcing a puppy to interact with everything it encounters. The objective is to allow puppies to experience new things in a way that is positive and manageable. A 2022 systematic review examined 29 studies investigating canine socialisation. The authors concluded that inadequate socialisation is associated with an increased risk of behavioural problems, but also highlighted an important limitation in the evidence: science has not yet established exactly how much socialisation is optimal, or whether the ideal approach differs between breeds. McEvoy, V., Espinosa, U. B., Crump, A., & Arnott, G. (2022). Canine Socialisation: A Narrative Systematic Review. Animals, 12(21), 2895. Read the original systematic review: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/21/2895 🏡 THE BREEDER'S ROLE Socialisation begins before a puppy leaves the breeder. Breeders can provide age appropriate experiences involving different people, sounds, surfaces, handling, environments, enrichment and normal household activities. These experiences can help puppies develop the ability to cope with novelty. This is particularly relevant to Australian breeders. A 2025 study surveyed 200 Australian dog breeders and found considerable variation in puppy rearing and socialisation practices. The researchers highlighted the important role breeders can play in shaping early puppy experiences. Dawson, J. K., Tepper, D. L., Ruby, M. B., Howell, T. J., & Bennett, P. C. (2025). A Quantitative Exploration of Australian Dog Breeders' Breeding Goals, Puppy Rearing Practices and Approaches to Socialisation. Animals, 15(15), 2302. Read the original Australian study: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2302 🐶 SOCIALISATION DOES NOT END AT EIGHT WEEKS Taking a puppy home is not the end of socialisation. It is the beginning of the next stage. Puppies should continue to experience new environments, people, appropriate dogs, sounds, surfaces, handling and other experiences throughout adolescence and adulthood. The evidence suggests that early experiences provide an important foundation, but genetics, temperament, learning, environment and ongoing experiences all contribute to the adult dog's behaviour. 💉 WHAT ABOUT VACCINATIONS? This is where responsible socialisation requires balance. Puppies should not be exposed unnecessarily to high risk environments before they are adequately protected against infectious diseases. At the same time, completely isolating a puppy until vaccination is finished may mean missing valuable developmental opportunities. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends beginning puppy socialisation before puppies are fully vaccinated, provided appropriate health and disease control measures are followed. Read the original AVSAB Puppy Socialization Position Statement: https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf 🌱 WHAT SHOULD GOOD SOCIALISATION LOOK LIKE? A well socialised puppy does not need to enthusiastically greet every person or dog. Instead, we want to develop a puppy that can calmly observe unfamiliar things, investigate new environments, recover from mild uncertainty and look to people for guidance. The puppy should be given choice where possible, introduced gradually, and allowed to move away when something becomes overwhelming. 💬 DISCUSSION What experiences do you believe are most important for puppies to have before leaving the breeder? Should breeders have a structured socialisation program for every litter? And where do you think the line is between valuable exposure and overwhelming a puppy? Share your experiences below. The goal isn't to raise a puppy that has experienced everything. The goal is to raise a puppy that has learned how to confidently cope with the unfamiliar.